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07-02-2018, 07:15 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
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couple of electrical questions
What battery does the generator use to start?
Had an issue getting the generator started, used the battery boost that did not help. Coach cranked just fine no issues but had to drive over an hour before the generator would start.
Sitting in Walmart parking lot, I hit the leveling jacks and the lights went out in the coach. They came back on when the jacks finished.
The generator has been running for 24 hours, they were on a float charge when I tried to retract the jacks and the lights went our again, the leveling jack panel shows low voltage and now I can't get the front shades to come up!
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
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07-02-2018, 07:37 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,622
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Michael,
The generator starts off the house batteries, for just the reason you found....if they go dead you can still drive away.
When the batteries are that weak, the jump switch has to be held for a few minutes, to maybe 10 minutes. I use a golf T wedged under the switch to save my thumb from holding it.
As for the other problems....it's sounds like your house batteries have reached the end of their life cycle. They do not have enough AMPS to run several items at a time. My 2014 batteries only made it 2 years. They were on the low scale of quality for batteries.
For the shades and other items after the batteries we charged, turn the 12v switch off and reset everything. Things get goofy when the batteries have gone dead, been there on that one .
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
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07-02-2018, 07:55 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Montgomery, TX (Home Sweet Home)
Posts: 2,501
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X2, everything you’re describing have one thing in common, the house battery bank.
Ideally you would charge and test the batteries to ensure that is the issue, not something else like a charge relay.
However, if you feel these batteries are pretty old, you could just install a new set and be on your way.
Depending on where you are, and what battery you want, Batteries+Bulbs, NAPA, or Sams club are good options.
-Matt
P.S. Where are you located?
__________________
Currently Motorhomeless
2017 Entegra Aspire 44R (bunks) towing 2019 F-350 LB (Sold)
2012 Tiffin Phaeton 40QKH (Our Phaeton was so nice, we bought it twice)
2016 Open Range RF376FBH (Sold)
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07-02-2018, 09:00 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Bayfield, Ontario
Posts: 5,456
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Michael,
Sounds like your house batteries may be shot. You may also want to check your settings in the Magnum inverter panel to see if it is set up for what you have and is actually charging properly. With the generator charging that long they should hold up better than they are.
__________________
Don & Gerri
2014 Entegra Anthem 44B
2014 Honda CRV Touring
1300W Solar, 1200AH LiFePO4 FMCA F443497
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07-02-2018, 09:09 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 8,055
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Before you change the house batteries try cleaning the cables. (You should do it anyway when you change the batteries.) The only problem might be a dirty/corroded connection to the battery bank. When you put a high current load like the leveling jacks the connection can drop several volts thus messing up your whole 12 VDC system. Anything with a microprocessor or controller chip can have it's logic scrambled by low voltage. A power off reset should put things back on track.
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07-02-2018, 10:44 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 3,122
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Michael, with your coach being a 2014, it could have been built as early as the first several months of 2013. As such, your house batteries could well be five years old. And as I recall, the Aspires of that era came with only four flooded-cell GC2 house batteries.
Five years is pretty much the expected life span for moderately priced flooded-cell deep-cycle batteries. Based on the symptoms you described, I'd say you’re due.
__________________
Larry & Amy Beckner
Scottsdale, AZ
2022 Newmar Super Star 4061
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07-02-2018, 10:58 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
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Thanks for the replies. Yea we knew these batteries were on their last leg, so making a few calls from the road to stores on our route this week. I have Trojan L16s not having any luck finding anything with that Amp Hour rating but will keep looking.
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
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07-02-2018, 11:21 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,622
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Michael, The Trojan L16s were not stock. Apparently they have been changed, do you know how old they are? Any chance of any warrant left? Maybe an Equlization might bring them back? Here is Trojan's site that might help https://www.solar-electric.com/trl16vo225ah.html
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
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07-02-2018, 11:59 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 3,122
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Michael, I can't say with certainty, but I may know the coach you have.
A neighbor of a friend of ours in the Dallas area had a 2014 Aspire 42-DEQ and I recall him installing a set of four L16 batteries in it not long before he replaced it with another coach. I don’t recall if the batteries were Trojans, but they may well have been.
That individual bought a new Tiffin motorhome from Davis Motorhome Mart in Memphis and I believe he traded in his Aspire at that dealership.
Any of that sound like a match? If so, your batteries may not be all that old. To be clear, they could still be problematic for a variety of reasons, but if they’re only a year or two old they may be salvageable.
__________________
Larry & Amy Beckner
Scottsdale, AZ
2022 Newmar Super Star 4061
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07-02-2018, 12:30 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,622
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Checked Trojan's site for L16 warranty, 2 years full replacement, up to 5 years prorated. https://www.solar-electric.com/lib/w...d_Warranty.pdf
If nothing else a Trojan dealer can test them for you for warranty.
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
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07-03-2018, 05:59 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LWBAZ
Michael, I can't say with certainty, but I may know the coach you have.
A neighbor of a friend of ours in the Dallas area had a 2014 Aspire 42-DEQ and I recall him installing a set of four L16 batteries in it not long before he replaced it with another coach. I don’t recall if the batteries were Trojans, but they may well have been.
That individual bought a new Tiffin motorhome from Davis Motorhome Mart in Memphis and I believe he traded in his Aspire at that dealership.
Any of that sound like a match? If so, your batteries may not be all that old. To be clear, they could still be problematic for a variety of reasons, but if they’re only a year or two old they may be salvageable.
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Yes, my coach is Ron's old coach. I have had the coach for 2 years and I think the records he left with the coach showed he put them in about a year before he traded it in. Ron left a lot of documentation in the coach, so I have a pretty good account of everything they did with the coach and all the Entegra warranty repairs. These batteries just took too many hits.
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
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07-03-2018, 06:07 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
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The L16s were added 3 to 4 years ago by the previous owner, I do not need that level of capacity. I was just looking at the options, decided to go with a battery the local RV store has in stock. Honestly finding a store that had 4 matching batteries in stock was a little tougher than I thought.
As for the condition of these, we knew they were due to be replaced. Last year someone unplugged my coach in storage and they drained down to 7 volts. This winter when the radiator was being replaced, the lights were left on in the coach and they went below 12v again. I was able to equalize a few times and get them to recover, it was just their time to go.
Thanks for all the input, new ones will be installed by the end of the day. I took about 10 pictures of the current wiring connections and a video to make sure I put it back together correctly.
moving on, time to celebrate the 4th!
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
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07-03-2018, 06:09 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 11,531
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Have your batteries load tested before you reach for the wallet to have them replaced...you could have one completely shorted cell.
Gary
__________________
Gary and Dee, Zowie and Bowie (traveling cat sibs)
2019 Cornerstone 45B, X15-605hp, Imperial, Spartan K3,
2013 Honda CR-V toad, Demco Excali-Bar II,
Demco Baseplate, Demco Toad Light system, 73 de W5FI
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07-03-2018, 06:12 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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….weak batteries could be the issue but it could also be the cable connections are corroded.....bad connections will show good voltage but wont allow higher amps to draw from bats....
__________________
Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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